Seed treater



M y 6, 1953 c. c. CALKINS 2,639,836

SEED TREATEW Filed March 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR,

l M I QM? flaw/Um A TTX C. C. CALKINS May 26, 1953 SEED TREATER FiledMarch 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A ZaU/w Aft May 26, 1953 c. c. CALKINS SEED TREATER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed March 27, 1950 IN VEN TOR. C/eade C. 62/241225 A try.

May 26, 1953 c. c. CALKINS 2,639,836

SEED TREATER Filed March 27, 1950 I 5 Sheets-Sheet L x v l u H g I I 09% a n- I 1: If fililllililllililiIIIllllililililllmmmmlf k M? x IN V ENTOR.

egafkl y 6, 1953 c. C CALKlNS 2,639,836

SEED TREATER Filed March 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Patented May 26, 1953 SEED TREATER Claude C. Oalkins, Spokane, Wash.,assignor to Calkins Manufacturing Company, Spokane,

Wash.

Application March 27, 1950, Serial No.,152,217

- Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a seed treater. It isthe principal purpose of this invention to provide an improved andsimplified mechanism for lifting a liquid containing seed treatingchemicals (slurry) from a supply tank and supplying it in excess to ametering container that is in turn emptied into a treating chamber at arate determined by the rate of feeding the seed to be treated into thechamber.

The seed treating chemicals are, generally, finely divided solids whichare kept suspended in liquid by continuous agitation. Some tend tosettle out if not agitated and many of them tend to foam. The presentinvention provides a simple efiective means to maintain a continuousflow of slurry to the metering container and to return the excess slurryto the tank where it is agitated without pumps, valves, pipes or hose.The same means that drives the slurry agitator carries the slurry t asupply pan that directs a stream down to the filling position of themetering container. Troughs carry the excess slurry back into the bodyof agitated slurry in the tank. The construction prevents coarse foreignmatter from entering the metering container.

The nature and advantages of the invention will appear more fully fromthe following detailed invention and the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts of the housing broken away, of aseed treater constructed according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the lin 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed view of the metering container withthe associated parts showing the metering container in dumping position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views of the metering container showingone means of varying the amount of slurry measured.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is shown in connection witha seed treating machine in which the seed is introduced through ahousing ID to a dump pan The dump pan, when loaded, drops the seeds intoa mixing trough l2. A shaft 13 in the trough l2 has blades l4 that stirthe seeds and move'them to the discharge end of the trough. A tank I5 ismounted adjacent to the mixing trough to provide a supply of the seedtreating chemical. This tank has an agitator |6 mounted therein.Theagitator includes a shaft I60; journalled in suitable bearing blocksI! and I8 (shown diagrammatically in Figure 5) that are secured to theinner faces of the end walls of the tank IS.

The dump pan II is mounted on a rock shaft I9 which also mounts an arm20, that carries a metering container 2|. The container 2| is'pivotallysupported at the free end of the arm 20 by a yoke 22 on the arm andprojections 23 on the container. When the pan ll drops to the dumpposition as shown in-Figure 3, the container 2| is moved by the arm 20against a stop 24 and tipped by the stop 24 to pouring position todirect its contents down an inclined trough member 25 that empties intothe mixing trough l2.

The present invention provides a new and simple means to supply liquidseed treating material (hereinafter termed slurry), in a continuousstream, to fill the metering container 2| whenever it is situated in theupright or filling position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. Aslurry pan 26 is mounted on the end wall of the housing In by a. bracket21 and bolts28 and 29; The pan 26 is provided with a narrow extension 30that overlies the metering container at filling position and has anoutlet at 3|. The pan 2B is inclined slightly to the horizontal, beinglowest at the outlet 3|.

I provide a drive member 32 which rotates the agitator shaft I6 andcarries slurry up to the pan 28. The drive member 32 preferablycomprises a flexible drive member, such as a sprocket chain, that isoperably connected to the shaft l6 and has means to lift slurry from thetank l5 upwardlyinto the pan 2B. This member 32 carries buckets 33 thatelevate the slurry to the pan 26. The power to operate the member 32 isobtained from a motor 34 (Figure 1) which drives a shaft 35 by means ofa belt 36 and a pulley 31. The motor 34 also drives the mixer shaft I3in the trough l2 by a belt and pulley arrangement (not shown). Theagitator shaft l6 has a wheel 38 fixed thereto and the shaft 35 has awheel 39 fixed thereto for driving engagement with the member 32. Themember 32 extends over the pan 26 and is inclined downwardly from thewheel 39 to a guide wheel 40 that is mounted on a stub shaft 4|. Thestub shaft 4| is supported by a panel 42 that is secured to the housingH) to form one wall of a.housing for the slurry and dump mechanism.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate how the buckets 33 are immersed in theslurry in the tank I5 and carried up to dump their contents in the pan23. The pan 26 has a screen 43 over the top thereof to prevent any largeforeign particles from falling into the pan 26. It will be noted thateach bucket 33 has a pivot point at 44 to a connector 45 on the member32. Also each of the buckets 33 has a projection 46 that extendsangularly downwardly and away from the bucket to engage the member 32and hold the bucket upright on the upward flight of the member 32. Asillustrated best :by Figure'Z the filled buckets are "car;- ried up overthe wheel -39 and gradually tipped as they pass over the wheel to pourtheir contents into the pan 26. from the outlet 3| so that the slurryflows to. the extension 3!] and is not dumped into this exten-' sion atall.

It should also be noted .tlcvatv the buckets 3 in descending into theslurry in the tank I5 are presented in such a position that theslurryflows easily into the bucket Without trapping any air in thebucket to cause added foaming.

The speed at which the chain 32 is driven is uch as to supply enoughslurry in the nan 12 B .te maintain va rather steady new of slurry fromthe outlet 3 1. When the meteringeontai-ner 24 .is beneath the outlet 3iit will be filled. The armthen raises and moves the metering containerlaterallyoutof the pathof the streamcf slurry before the container 2|.is emptied. Excess slurry flaws downwardly along a trough a1 intoanother trough 4,8. that extends down into the slurry tank l5substantially to the normal level .of slurry ,kept in the tank. Thecontainer 21 is filled to ,overflowing .each time it is held in filli-ng,position and the slurry that overflows from the container 2| also,finds its way down the troughs 31 and 48 into the tank IS.

The zmetering co tainer .2 ries a rip bl 4,9 onthe bottom. The blade 49is secured by a screw :50 that is threaded through the bottom of thecontainer 2 l.

Figures '7 and ,8 ,of the drawing-s illustrate ,one manner in which thecapacity ;of the metering container ,2! rnaybe readily varied. A plug 5|of suitable size is inserted in the container 2.! and threaded on thescrew 5.43 to restrict the volume of the container 2|. The plug 51shownjin Figure 8 fills half ,the container ,2}, but .of course plugs ofdifferent sizes will restrict the capacity of the container 21 todifferent amounts.

It is believed that the nature of my invention will be clear from theforegoin description. By providing the buckets 3,3 and thechainBZ todrive the slurry agitator and carry the slurry up to the pan 26, Iobtain a simple means for .deliveringa continuous stream ofslurryrorfilling the meter.- ing container .21. The chain .32 and the buckets32,319 made .of material capable of withstanding the action of theslurry. The operation .of this mechanism ,for delivering the slurry tothe pan 2B issuch as to keep the buckets .33 and the chain substantiallyfree of accumulations or deposits vof the chemical in the slurry just asthe repeated filling and emptying of thecontainer 21 keeps it free ,ofdeposits that would seriously affect. the accuracy of the measurement ofseed treating chemical. The slurry handling mechanism is en.- closed bya cover plate .52 which can be readily removediorinspection.and'cleaningof the ,mechanism at .any .time. There are nohoses, pipes, pumps or valves for the slurry .to flow through.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim;

1. In a machine for treating seeds, ,a tank f r seed treatingslurry, anagitator, shaft ,in the tank, agitators .on said shaft, a. slurry panhaving an outlet, a metering cup movable alternately into andout offilling position beneath the outletjrom t e pan, a flexible driv memberten ng beneath the shaft and operably connected to said shait to rotatethe shaft. the flexible drive member extendin upw r y from th shaft onopposite sides or the panand. extending over the pan, power means fordriving the drive member,

The pouring is always away' buckets on said member which are filled withslurry as the member passes beneath the agitater shaft, and Jneans todump the buckets as theypassoverithe pan. 1

2. In a machine for treating seeds, a tank for .seed treating slurry, anagitator shaft in the tank, agitators on said shaft, a slurry pan havingan outlet, a metering cup movable alter- ;nately into and out of fillingposition beneath the outlet trom the man, a sprocket chain, a sprocketwheel on said shaft, a drive sprocket wheel adiacent to the pan and asecond sprocket wheel across the pan from the drive sprocket wheel touideithe chain over the pan and buckets on said chain.

In a machine for treatinsse d a tank seed treating slurry, an agitatorshaft in .the tank, agitators on sa haf a r y p ha ing-aneutlet, a:meteringlcup movable alternately into and ou of fill ng-p t on b eathheioutle from the .pan, aspr'ocketchain, a sprocket wheel on s id s ft..adrive sp ocket wh l adj ent to th pan and a second sprocket wheel aros th Dan from th d ve sp o k t h l to guide the chain over the pan,and buckets .onsaid chain, the buckets having projections thereonengaging. the chain tohold the buckets upright as they travel t am ta kto pani. In a seed treating machine, ,awtank ,for seed reatin lurrr an.agitator'shait in the bottom p rtien of said tank. agitator blades.onsaid shaft. aslurry pan spaced above the agitators and hay.- ing .anoutlet, ,3. metering ,cup movable into and out .of filling positionbeneath the pan -,o utlet, a drive shaft .above the pan at. one sidethereoi, a guide wheel .atthe othersideo the pan, .a flex.- ibl d ive mmb r e tend-ir s around th wheel and said shafts and er th gria meansdrivingly connecting the flexible ,drive member to said shafts, whereby.to transmitpower from said..drive shaft to theagit'atoi shaft tooperatth agitator bla es... and buckets-on the flexible drive memb r whicharefilled with slurry as the member car.- ries hem under the agitator shaftand emptied as the member carries them. over ,the .pan between the driveshaft and the guide wheel.

.5. 111a ma hine f r eating-s ds a ank lf seed treatin s ur y. anagitator shaft .in'the tank, agitators on'saidshait, ,a slurry panhayingan ou le a m ter ng c p.mo ablealt mateiyi to and out of fillingposition beneath the outlet from the pan, a sp cke -eh&iI1 a sprocketwhe on said shaft. a drive sproc e wh eladiacent to th pa and a secondspr cket whe l a ross the pan from the drive sprocket wheel to guidevthe chain ever the pa and buckets on aid chain; a h bucket having a arsd (o its open ends pivotally mounting, the bucket to the chain, saidbucket also having a prqiectian extending diagonally away emthe bucke toard th chain from the closed end thereof operable :torenease he sham.andho d th bucket upright as-it tra els em tank to-nan.

' :CLRUDE:C..CALIQINS.

entrances cited the 5111s 9i 1 1 .15 patent *UN-I' FED STATES NumberName Date 791,290 Kennicott Aug,- 15, 05 1, 1,6 His QQ 19 1 2.295 258.Gann .S nt. 19.412

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 361;5.71 I France Nov. 11, "1939

